Railway truck



June 2, 1942.

.1. c. TRAVILLA, JR, ET AL 2,284,695

RAILWAY TRUCK Filed March 10, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l Illlll m v INVENTORSJAMES C. TRAVILLA JR.

EDWIN C. JACKSON ATTORNEY FIG.1.

June 1942- J. c. TRAVILLA, JR. ETAL 2,234,695

RAILWAY TRUCK Filed March 10, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7.

FIG. 9.

ma 3 s um WLA T W p aw m J I BY M ATTORNEY l" 4 J. c TRAVILLA, JR. arm.2,234,695

RAILWAY mucx Filed Ma rch 10, 1939- 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS 1 JAMESC.TRAVILLA JR.

EDWIN C. JAGKSON 3 ATTORNEY June 2, 1942. .J, TRAWLL R; Em 2,284,695

' RAILWAY TRUCK INVENTORS JAMES C. TRAVILLA JR,

- EDWIN C JACKSON 6 BY. @7 M AT To RNEY Patented June 2, 1942 RAILWAYTRUCK James C. Travilla, Jr., University City, and Ed- I win 0. Jackson,Clayton, Mo., assignors to General Steel Castings Corporation, GraniteCity, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 10, 1939, SerialNo. 260,916

10 Claims. (01. 105-190) The invention relates to railway rolling stockand more particularly to truck structure for use in passenger trainvehicles.

The main object of the invention is to prevent rolling of the vehiclebody to one side, or from.

side to side, due either to centrifugal forces exerted upon the vehiclebody when the vehicle is rounding curved track, or due to other forcestending to tilt the body transversely of the track.

Stabilizers to prevent such rolling movement have been used previouslyin railway trucks, the stabilizers consisting of torque rods journaledon the truck frame and having arms at each end engaging the end portionsof the truck bolster to keep the bolster in parallel relation with thetruck frame at all times. plication of an overturning load, the bolsterspring ,on theside of the truck which receives such a load wouldcompress while the bolster spring on the other side would be relieved ofsome of its load, thereby tilting the bolster relative to the truckframe in a manner that tends to roll the car body a greater amount thanwhen such stabilizers are used. If the truck is designed for lateralmotion of the bolster relative to the frame, it is necessary to makeprovision in the stabilizer mechanism for such relativemovement. Thepresent invention provides a stabilizing mechanism which will increasethe stability of the car body as compared to the stability obtainedwithprevious arrangements.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for tilting thebolster upwardly on the side of the truck toward which the bolster movesduring lateral movement, and further, to provide a stabilizing mechanismextending transversely of the truck, which tilting means and mechanismwill counteract the overturning effect of lateral forces transmittedtothe bolster from the car body and thereby reduce to a stabilizingmechanism utilizing levers extending transversely of the truck frame toeffect the stabilizer action and to fulcrum these levers on that portionof the truck structure which moves laterally of the frame.

Otherwise during ap.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the stabilizing levers asmeans for spacing the truck springs and thereby eliminatethe necessityof a spring plank extending across the truck, although some forms of theinvention may include a spring plank as part of the truck structure.

-Another object of the invention is to effect satisfactory use of coilsprings for supporting a lateral motion bolster in railway truckstructure, which is provided with a stabilizing mechanism between thebolster and the bolster spring seats,

without foregoing the advantages usually attributed to the heavierandmore expensive el-' liptic spring in general use.

These and other detail objects of the invention are'attained intheaccompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a four wheeltruck with lateral motion bolster and embodying a stabilizer structure.A portion of the bolster iseliminated at one side of the truck to moreclearly illustrate the parts beneath the bolster.

Figure 2 is in part a side elevation of the truck and in part alongitudinal section and is taken on the line 2-4 of Figure l. V

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3--3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail transverse section taken on the line 44 of Figure3. e

Figure 5 corresponds generally to Figure 3,'but shows the parts in theposition assumed when the bolster is at the extreme of one of itslateral movements. The figure also indicates one side of the truckframelowered due to the application of an overturning load and theforces tending to move the bolster laterally as illustrated.

Figure 6 corresponds generallyto Figure 3 but mately on the line B-8 ofFigure 7.

Figure 9 is a detail transverse section on the line 9--9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a truck embodying another form of theinvention.

usual manner.

Figure 11 is a top view of the bolster and associated structureillustratedin Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line l2l2 ofFigure 11.

Figure 13 is a detail vertical section taken on the line |3-|3 of Figure12.

Figure 14 is a top view of the central portion of atruck embodyinganother form of the invention utilizing a double bolster and duplicatesets of stabilizers.

Figure 15 is in part a side elevation and in part a longitudinal sectiontaken on the line l5l5 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a vertical transverse section, taken on the line 16-46 ofFigure 14.

The truck shown in Figures 1 to 6 includes the usual wheels I, axles 2,journal boxes 3, longitudinal equalizers 4, carried on the boxes,equalizer springs 5, and a truck frame preferably consisting of a onepiece casting and including wheel pieces 6 with depending pedestal legs1, receiving journal boxes 3 between them, transverse transoms 8, endrails 9 and other elements not specified in detail. Swing hangers I arepivotally suspended from the end portions of transoms 8 by pins H andthe lower ends of hangers 10 at each side of the truck support crossbars l2. All of the above mentioned parts are of familiar construction.

Cross stabilizers l3 and I4 extend between bars 12, the outer end ofeach stabilizerresting upon one of the bars I! and the inner ends of thestabilizers being pivotally connected by vertical links l and pins l6.Each stabilizer is of triangular shape, viewed from above, with its'wide outer end forming a-seat S for one of theelliptic bolster springsH.

A truck bolster H! of inverted U shape is carried by springs l1 and itsside walls include depending lugs l9 intermediate the center of thebolster and hanger bars 12. Each stabilizer l3 and I4 isfulcrumed on apair of lugs l9 by a pin 20. Preferably, spring seats S are fitted withrubber pads 2| and rubber pads 22 mount the bolster on springs IT. Theouter ends of the bolster are provided with rubber pads 23 disposed toabut the inner faces of wheel pieces B to limit the lateral movement ofthe bolster when hangers l0 swing on their pivots. The vehicle bodybolster 24 (Fig. 3) is carried upon the truck bolster center plate 25 inthe The usual spring planks are elminated. All of the load is carriedfrom the bolster through its springs l1 directly to the swing hangercross bars- 12 except when overturning forces are transmitted from thebolster through the stablilzers l3--l4 to the bolster spring seat.

The bolster and bolster spring may swing as a unit with the hangers,just as similar parts have functioned in previous trucks with swingbolsters, but any tendency of the bolster to tilt vertically, due to thepresence of forces which normally would act unequally .on. the bolstersprings, is prevented by stabilizers i3-I4. A force tending to raiseorlower one end of the bolster, such as tendency to keep the bolster levelexcept for such tilting as may result from inclination of the track orunequal compression of equalizer springs 5 at opposite sides of thetruck, as indicated in Figure 5 which shows hangers ll swung to the leftand the left-hand truck spring 5 compressed more than the right-handspring 5 as indicated by dimension lines A and A+. During relativelateral movement of the bolster l8 and truck frame as also indicated inFig. 5, the right-hand cross bar I! is lowered, while the left-handcross bar is raised and the stabilizers l3-I4 do not permit theleft-hand bolster springs IT to compress more than the right-handbolster springs, and this also tends to keep the bolster level or toprevent tilting of the bolster in the wrong direction. These conditionsresult in a minimum amount of car body roll and provide greaterstability than is obtained with previous constructions, particularlythose having springs under the bolster and which permit a differentamount of deflection of the bolster springs on one side of the truckthan on the other.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a form of the invention embodying a truckframe 35, with supporting parts similar to those shown in Figures 1 to6, and a bolster 36 corresponding generally to the bolster of thestructure shown in Figures 1 to 6. The cross stabilizers 31 and 38 arepivoted at 39 and 40, respectively, to depending brackets 4| on thebolster. The inner ends of the stabilizers are pivotally interconnectedby links L and pins 42. The outer end of each stabilizer rests upon across bar 43, extending between swing hangers 44 suspended at 45 fromthe truck frame. A spring seat 46 is pivotally supported by the outerportion of each stabilizer immediately over its supporting cross bar 43,and coil springs 41 carried by seats 46, support the end portions ofbolster 36.

Preferably, each end of the bolster includes an outwardly and downwardlyprojecting arm 43 extending beneath the frame wheel piece and over theequalizer bar 49. A shock absorber 34 of familiar telescoping type ispivotally connected at its opposite ends to the outer end of arm 43 andto a bracket 35a projecting from the wheel piece.

Stabilizers 31 and 38 function similarly to the stabilizers previouslydescribed to prevent unequal action of springs 41 without interferingwith the free lateral movement of the bolster relative to the frame. Theintermediate portion of the bolster is box shaped in cross section (seeFig. 9) and the end, portions are widened and open downwardly and areprovided with circular pockets to receive the coil springs.

Shock absorbers 34 are added because of the tendency of coil springs tooscillate more freely than elliptic springs rendering a dampening devicedesirable to prevent unnecessary vibrations or vertical oscillations ofthe bolster and car body because of the easy action of the coil springs.It will be understood that the stabilizing feature may be retainedindependently of the shock absorber or other spring dampening structure.

Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13 illustrate another form of the invention inwhich the cross stabilizer levers and 80 are supported intermediatetheir ends upon the cross bars 8|, carried by swing hangers 82,pivotally suspended from the truckframe 83. The inner ends ofstabilizers 8D and B0 and pivotally connected to each other through ablock 84 pinned to one stabilizer and positioned in a jaw on the otherstabilizer. The assembly preferably includes rubber insulating elements85 bonded to the block 04 and the adjacent portions of the stabilizerJaw, which permits the necessary relative movement of the levers 80 andtransversely of the truck by the shear action of-the rubber. Theouterends of stabilizers 80 and 80',

are pivotally connected directly to arms 86 projecting outwardly anddownwardly from the bolster 01. A shock absorber 88 connects the outerends of each bolster and stabilizer and the adjacent sides of the truckframe. Coil springs 09 are seated upon'stabilizers 80 and 80' andsupport the bolster. V

The stabilizers fulcrum on the cross bars BI and any force tending tocompress one spring 89 and tilt the corresponding stabilizer istransmittedto the other stabilizer and the opposite end of the bolsterto equalize the spring movements and maintain equal distances betweenthe.

each stabilizer 91 is linked to the inner end of the stabilizer at theother side of the truck. The outer end of each stabilizer mounts a seatI0l for a bolster coil spring I02 received in a cap I00a.

Tie rods I03 limit the expansion of springs I02 when there is no load onthe bolster and enable the bolster springs and stabilizers to be handledas a unit when not assembled with the rest of the truck structure.Preferably, shock absorbers I04 are connected at their upper ends to thebolster and at their lower ends to cross bars 96 and dampen the verticaloscillations of springs I02.

' The stabilizers function in a manner correspending to thoseillustrated in Figures '7, 8 and 9, but each pair of stabilizersfunctions substantially independently of the otherpair and due to theextent of the bolster"longitudinally of the truck and the support of thesame at its corners The truck by springs I02, spaced longitudinally ofthe truck,

the stabilizers donot interfere with the bolster tilting longitudinallyof the truck. During such tilting action one pair of stabilizers wouldshift relative to thevother pair of stabilizers butthe ends of each sideof the bolster'woiild be raised or lowered equally to avoid undesirabletilting of the bolster transversely of the truck.

The tilting of the bolster in a vertical plane v relative to'the truckframe during lateral movement is characteristic of all of .thestructures described irrespective of the details of construc-' tion, andthe stabilizers in all forms of the invention tend to distribute thevertical loads to the bolster springs on both sides of the truck.

In all forms of the invention the upwardly tilting action of the bolsteron theside of the truck toward which thebolstermoves during lateralmovement, together with the stabilizer mechanism, counteracts theoverturning effect of lateral forces transmitted to the bolster from thecar body, and thereby reduces to a minimum the amount of car body rollin the direction of lateral movement. e

In all forms of the invention, the bolster springs on both sides of thetruck are kept under sub stantially equal load or deflection whenrounding curves so that the side of the vehiclebody at the outside ofthecurve is lifted and the side of the car body at the inside of the curveis low,- ered, thus tending to prevent tilting or rolling of the carbody toward the outside 01' the curve and increasing the easy ridingqualities of the vehicle. The stabilizer mechanism' is pivotally mountedon the bolster. The bolster and bolster springs may be adapted for thestabilizer structure irrespective of the truck frame or other parts ofthe truck structure, such as the equalizer bars,

or any part of the vehicle body carried by the truck. y

The general stabilizer arrangement is also adapted for trucks utilizinga spring'plank in which case the stabilizers may be fulcrumed orpivotallyconnected to the spring plank and such construction,originallydisclosed in the-present application, is illustrated anddescribed in divisional application filedJuly 30, 1941, Serial No.404,600. n

It will be understood that the use of rubbet' cushioning elements is notlimited to the specific points illustrated and described but maybeincluded, wherever desired to prevent metal to metal contact and todeaden noise and absorb some road shocks and also to compensate for theangling of various parts with which the rubber elements are associated.Ordinarily, thick rubber cushions cannot be used for spring seatsbecause truck and raising. the car body sufliciently to allow the springto clear its spring seat.

The spring on the other side, due' to the stabilizing levers, will raiseboth ends of the bolster to facilitate the removal of the first spring.Old

arrangements require direct lifting of the bolster on the same sideasthe spring'to, beremoved.

While the use'of telescoping shock absorbers is indicated in some of thestructures, it will be understood that these may be omitted altogetheror thatother dampening devices may be included in any form of theinvention.

' While some forms. of the invention illustrate bolsters. of box-shapedcross section and other forms of the invention show bolsters of invertedU or trough-shaped cross section, it will be understood that thesesections. are illustrative and that any desired type of bolster may beadapted for mounting the cross stabilizers.

The constructionmay be changed substantially in various other wayswithout departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive useof such modifications of the-invention as come within the scope of theclaims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway truck, a frame, swing hangers suspended therefrom,respective springs at opposite sides of the truck supported by saidhangers, a bolster mounted on said springs, levers for stabilizing theaction of said springs extending inwardly from said swing hangers andeach separately pivoted on said bolster at a point spaced from thecenter of the bolster and extending beyond its pivot to'connect with theopposite stabilizer lever.

2. In a railway truck, a'frame, support members carried by saidframe atopposite sides of the truck and movable transversely of the frame,individual springs on said support members, a bolster carried on saidsprings, levers mounted on said members and extending inwardly therefromand pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends and beingfulcrumed on said bolster intermediate their interconnection and saidmembers and stabilizing the action of said springs.

3. In a railway truck, a frame, abolster movable laterally of the truckrelatively to said frame, bolster carrying springs, levers beneath saidbolster and disposed end to end transversely of the truck with theirinner ends pivotally connected to each other and with portions spacedfrom said ends pivotally connected to said bolster, and means pivotallysuspended from said frame and pivotally connected to said leversandsupporting said spring and bolster through said levers.

4. In a railway truck, a frame, a pair of swing hangers suspended fromeach side of said frame, a cross bar carried by each pair of swinghangers, a lever pivotally connected to and extending inwardly of thetruck from each of said cross bars and with its inner end pivotallyanchored to the lever connected to the other cross bar, a spring seatmounted on each of said levers, springs on said seats, a bolsterextending across the truck and carried on said springs, there being apivotal connection between each of said levers and said bolster wherebysaid levers equalize the movement of said springs at the opposite endsof said bolster.

5. A railway truck as described in claim 4 in which the levers extendoutwardly beyond their associated cross bars, there being shockabsorbers connecting the truck frame and the outer ends of said levers.

6. In a railway truck, a frame, hangers pivotally suspended from saidframe to swin transversely of the truck, and structure supported by saidhangers and movable transversely of the truck by the swinging of saidhangers on their pivots, said structure including spring seats,individual springs thereon, a bolster on said springs and stabilizerlevers extending transversely of said frame, the inner ends of saidlevers being 1 secured to each other and portions of said levers spacedfrom their inner ends having connections respectively to said bolsterand to other parts of said structure, said connections preventingrelative vertical movement of the connected parts at the points ofconnection, the structure being so constructed and arranged as toprovide equal vertical deflection of said springs at opposite sides ofthe truck and to maintain the bolster in parallel relation with saidspring seats irrespective of overturning forces applied to the bolsterand irrespective of movement of said structure transversely of the truckon said hangers, each stabilizer lever extending from the centralportion of the truck outwardly and being connected between its ends tothe bolster and having its outer portion carried by the swing hangers.

7. A railway truck as described in claim 4 which also includes shockabsorbers at the sides of the truck each having telescoping membersconnected respectively to the truck frame and to a part supported fromthe corresponding swing hanger, the latter-mentioned member of eachshock absorber being connected to the corresponding member of the othershock absorber by the stabilizing levers.

8. In a railway truck, a truck frame, swing hanger structure suspendedfrom the sides of said frame, a lever pivotally connected to andextending inwardly of the truck from each of said structures and havingits inner end pivotally anchored to the lever connected to the otherstructure, a spring seat on each of said levers, springs on said seats,a bolster extending across the truck and supported on said springs,there being a pivotal connection between each of said levers and saidbolster whereby said levers equalize the movement of said springs at theopposite sides of the truck.

9. A railway truck as described in claim 8 in which the bolster extendsoutwardly beyond its supporting springs, there being shock absorbersconnecting the truck frame and the outer ends 7 of said bolster.

10. In a railway truck, a frame, hangers pivotally suspended from saidframe to swing transversely of the truck, and structure supported bysaid hangers and movable transversely of the truck by the swinging ofsaid hangers on their pivots, said structure including spring seats,individual springs thereon, a bolster on said springs and stabilizerlevers extending transversely of said frame, the inner ends of saidlevers being secured to each other and portions of said levers spacedfrom their inner ends having connections respectively to said bolsterand to other parts of said structure, said connections preventingrelative vertical movement of the connected parts at the points ofconnection, the structure being so constructed and arranged as toprovide equal vertical deflection of said springs at opposite sides ofthe truck and to maintain the bolster in parallel relation with saidspring seats irrespective of overturning forces applied to the bolsterand irrespective of movement of said structure transversely of the truckon said hangers, each stabilizer lever extending from the centralportion of the truck outwardly and resting on the swing hangers andsupporting the bolster springs.

JAMES C. TRAVILLA, JR. EDWIN C. JACKSON.

